


Captiviating Elpis

by whiteroses77



Series: Anteros [5]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Smallville
Genre: Brainwashing, Established Relationship, M/M, Sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-03-18
Packaged: 2018-05-19 23:01:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5983600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiteroses77/pseuds/whiteroses77
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part 5 of the Anteros Series. After Darkseid’s minions failed to trap Superman in a perfect fantasy, now they try to take away his hope and his fate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

TITLE: Captivating Elpis 1  
PAIRING: Clark/Bruce  
AUTHOR: Whiteroses77 (whiterose)  
RATING: Anyone  
WORD COUNT: 3,052  
DISCLAIMER: I only own the story.  
SUMMARY: After Darkseid’s minions failed to trap Superman in a perfect fantasy, now they try to take away his hope and his fate.

~B~

Batman watched on edge, ready to go into action to save his captured comrade. Darkseid’s minions surrounded the subdued figure of Superman, laid out on the lab table. He had watched on with tension and dread as his teammate had been subjected to an imposed fantasy, a Phantom Zone criminal that was adept in the arts of delusion had failed to keep Superman trapped in a supposed perfect fantasy that Superman wasn’t supposed to know he had to escape from. 

Nevertheless, he had, he had fought it off. Batman had been so proud of Superman’s determination and inner strength, but it made him concerned too. If they couldn’t trap him, he could be in even greater danger.

Now the group of villains were bickering, trying to figure out the next course of action. Batman knew how imperative success was to them. By taking out the Earth’s greatest defender the battle was tilted decidedly in Darkseid’s forces favour.

That balance of power was why Batman’s focus was solely on saving the other hero, while the battle against Darkseid’s forces waged outside miles away from this deserted lab. 

However, Bruce was determined to save Superman for wholly selfish reasons.

Although he had fought off the delusion, Superman was still in a resting trance. Desaad turned and he sneered at the prone subdued figure of Superman, that had beaten his sexual delusions, “If he doesn’t want to be locked into happiness, then he can take the despair instead.”

~S~

Superman awoke. He felt disoriented in a ‘had too much sleep, but still exhausted’ way. He squinted against the bright light directly above him. Instinctively he tried to raise his hand to shield his eyes from the glare. He was suddenly on edge, mentally and physically as he realised he couldn’t raise either of his arms, realised he was strapped down, manacled to the surface he was laying on. He closed his eyes, breathed and exhaled slowly a few times and tried to calm his mind, and keep focused. 

He took a deep fortifying breath and opened his eyes again. He had to keep calm; he had to figure out where he was and what the hell had happened. It wasn’t the first time he’d been taken prisoner, it wasn’t as if he was a novice at this. He turned his head and glanced about. He saw the sterile white walls, the stainless steel furniture; he looked across and saw a wall of mirrors. He saw jars, glass flasks, and what looked like scientific equipment. 

He began to tremble uncontrollably, and he silently, internally screamed in anguish. It was a lab. Shit it was a lab. He couldn’t see anyone about but someone had got him. 

Someone had got him!

He glanced back at the bank of mirrors; one way mirrors he’d bet his life on it. He swallowed hard and then hard again at that thought. 

Give him a cell or even a fucking dungeon, and it would be better than this.

It was a nightmare; it was his nightmare. Oh god what was he going to do!

After all these years, keeping his secret, having to lie to people that he cared about when they wanted to know too much, splitting his life into two, just so he could have a normal life, and so he could help people too, and now they’d got him. 

Was it the government? He knew some of them wanted him at their beck and call; Amanda Waller had been pissed when he refused. He knew the upper echelons of the military hated that fact that he was more powerful than anything they’d got. He knew some still saw him as a threat even after all this time, after not giving them one damn reason to think that. He’d known of projects, ones to create an army of super soldiers, maybe they wanted to harness his abilities, his DNA.

He thought of someone else who could want him for that reason. But then he realised, he knew he wouldn’t be in this room alone and isolated if that was the case. He knew him too well he always liked a chat.

He breathed through his nose slow and steady. It didn’t even matter who it was he had to get out of here, somehow.

He wondered about his loss of powers, he wasn’t in pain but he didn’t have the strength to break free. 

He glanced around again, looked down along his own uniform covered body, wondering what they had used to subdue him. He was still wearing his uniform. His last memory was going to a save, so that made sense. He knew it wasn’t green Kryptonite, which hurt like a thousand hells. It could be blue Kryptonite, it just negated his natural abilities, but where was it? 

Then a terrible thought came to him, what if it was gold Kryptonite, it was extremely rare to come across it but not completely out the question. He could be completely powerless, with no come back and he wouldn’t even know. Even if he managed to escape, his life would be totally different, the world would be a quieter place that was for sure, but the idea of people out there needing help, and he wouldn’t be able to help them, never be able to help them again was terrible.

Though, of course if it were someone wanting to use him to build weapons then him being normal wouldn’t help would it? 

There was red solar energy, but that bright light above him was too white and too bright.

So what else could it be, there was of course magic… 

Suddenly he surprised himself as he laughed at the thought of that. He knew that some people thought he was too powerful, too untouchable, well that little list seemed like too many weaknesses to be used by unscrupulous people to him. 

~B~

Batman watched from the shadows, as Superman still entranced began laughing, however it wasn’t his normal joyous laugh; it was hollow and full of despair. He didn’t know what terrible thing Superman was suffering but Batman felt the hopelessness of his partner invade his being. 

Desaad raised his hand, and he twisted the air, “Laugh, laugh at this.”

~S~

Superman’s laughter patted out, and then his face twisted in anguish and desolation. How was he going to get out of this? 

He jolted to attention as the laboratory door opened.

His heart beat rapidly in a mixture of anxiety and morbid curiosity. 

When he saw who it was, his heart pounded and he was full of renewed hope. He smiled and sighed, “Thank god.”

Batman entered the lab. He didn’t reply. His cowl covered teammate walked over to him, and checked over his restraints. Superman waited anxiously to be released. He was dismayed as Batman backed away again.

Superman frowned in confusion, “B?”

Then Batman walked over to the equipment and checked the readings. 

A sick feeling began crawling its way inside him. He struggled against the restraints and shook his head and asked plaintively, “Batman, what are you doing, help me?”

Then the cowl covered figure turned and faced him, his visors were covering his eyes, so Superman couldn’t see them. He said, “You were much easier to subdue than I gave you credit for…”

“Subdue?” he demanded.

“You have all these powers, yet it’s your mind that’s so easily beaten.” He said dismissively. 

Superman shook his head in denial, the words struggled up his throat, and he whispered, “You’re not him.” 

He continued dispassionately, “You don’t plan at all, you just hear a scream and you go, you can’t even see a trap, so blinded by your need to help us poor little humans.”

Superman tensed his jaw, and he denounced fiercely, “You’re not him!”

The visors retracted then, and revealed his eyes, “I’m not who?” He wondered quietly as he approached him. As he reached him, Batman reached out and his leather clad fingers skirted over the House of El shield over his chest, and then further down over his abdomen. 

His body automatically tried to recoil but there was nowhere to go, strapped as he was to the lab table. He sneered indignantly, “Get off me.”

His words were not heeded and then those fingers traced over his hip. Superman’s body tensed as he fruitlessly tried to turn away but it was useless. With a touch of fear, he hollered, “Get your damned hands off me!”

Batman smirked at his distress as he caressed down his blue clad legs to the edge of his boots; he rounded the end of the table and made the return trip up the other side of his body. “You thought you were helping didn’t you, but all you did, was make yourself and your loved ones a target.”

He breathed slowly trying to calm himself. His indignation was useless, a waste of energy as the person who this bastard was pretending to be had taught him and the taught their boys too. That kind of emotion was a last resort in a fight, when you were coming up empty and had nothing else to lose. 

‘But B I haven’t a way of even trying to fight this.’ He cried in despair internally.

No options… no, the only option was for the real Batman to come and save him, but oh god, he knew he was the best but he couldn’t expect a miracle. 

He jumped out of his thoughts as leather covered fingers caressed his lips. He jerked his head away furiously and as he did, he wretched his neck. His neck throbbed from the pain. This cowl covered perversion couldn’t care less, he grasped Superman’s throat in his hand and he forced his head back. “Is that painful, good.”

The nagging pain made him grimace. Superman ended up looking up into those eyes that didn’t have the life and spark they should’ve. Superman saw nothing there in his eyes.

As they came closer, as Batman leaned in, Superman realised one thing, the eyes were right except for the spark. Dead, but for a second, he could almost see the fire of hatred alight in them, as he sneered at him, “You’ve lost everything.”

God it was terrible seeing that look in his eyes but he knew those eyes, he did. The life in them wasn’t the same, no warmth of affection or passion, but there was no doubt that those were his eyes.

As Batman pulled his hand back, Superman whispered, “It is you, they must’ve got to you too, B.”

The hollow but familiar eyes narrowed in confusion. 

Superman nodded, “Somebody has got us, and they’re messing with us.”

“You don’t know what you are talking about.” Batman denied.

He smiled, and spoke in a hush, “I know you think that, but we’re in this together as always. I’m going to find a way to save us both.”

“You can’t save anyone; you can’t even save yourself.”

Full of renewed hope, Superman declared, “I’ll save us B.”

“How?” he asked with a begrudging curiosity.

He replied with determination, “By breaking the mind control. Now come back here and kiss me.”

~B~

Batman watched as the villains became uneasy as Superman began whispering something that Batman couldn’t hear from his distance. However he did hear Granny Goodness scold manically, “Don’t let him defeat you Desaad.”

Desaad gripped the air, and declared, “No, no Kal-El, I’ll take the thing that means the most to you.”

~S~

Batman let out a barking laugh, “Why would I want to kiss you, this isn’t fucking Sleeping Beauty.”

Superman stared at him, his emotions churning hearing that distain in his voice.

“Please.”

“I’ve seen what happens when you care about someone, you think I’d want that.”

“I know you care about me, let me try.”

The black clad figure gazed back and then he said flatly, “You let Earth fall; your life was only spared because Darkseid ordered it. That’s the only thing you mean to me.”

He shook his head in denial, “No, he has left us alone for years now, after we beat him the last time.

Batman shook his head. “The last time…”

Superman insisted, “It was Darkseid who failed, we beat him together.”

The cowl covered head tilted, “You’re living in a fantasy world Superman. Why don’t you tell the people out there that we stopped Darkseid.”

He frowned in confusion and then glanced to the door to the lab, “Why who’s out there, where are we?”

“You’ve been exiled to a planet called Anteros II, and I’ve been assigned as your warden.”

His heart beat rapidly, “Anteros II…?” 

He closed his eyes as the reason for his missing powers became evident. Anteros II had a rosy red sun. As he lay there, he realised that whatever was happening here he was never going to save them while he was strapped to this lab table. He glanced around the lab again; this whole room must’ve been brought here because they didn’t have scientific laboratories like this on this more primitive planet. He decided to play along until he could figure this all out. He wondered, “So my exile includes being tied up in here, until Darkseid has a use for me?”

Batman stared at him and then acknowledged, “Your sedation was a precaution until the red solar energy had done its job. The readings show that all your powers have been leeched away now.”

Superman wiggled his hands, “So”

Batman took a breath, and then approached and unfastened the manacles. After he was released, Superman sat up and he rubbed his wrists where the manacles had bit into his skin a little. 

His dark companion was watching him stoically. Then Batman suggested just as stoically, “I’ll show you were your quarters are.”

It was really unsettling dealing with Batman like this, not only the contempt he was displaying, but also the detachment. It was so, so long since he’d been at arm’s length from the Batman. He followed him out of the lab and into comfortable living area with an almost neo classical architecture. Batman showed him a doorway, “This will be yours.”

He felt that churning again, it was just a bedroom, and he had bigger things to worry about right now. As Batman continued the quick tour, he explained, “Manservants deliver the meals from the kitchen. There’s a garden, and there’s a city complex beyond but you won’t want to go there, the Anterians are not happy about their planet being chosen as your prison.”

He wondered at his teammate acting as if he didn’t know about the layout and the customs of this planet. He believed he’d been brainwashed, but he knew Batman remembered who he was, so why didn’t he remember this place that was so important to them. He asked, “Did Darkseid defeat the Anterian army too?”

Batman revealed neutrally, “Anteros II hasn’t got an army; they haven’t had one for hundreds of years.”

This wasn’t making sense… none of this was making sense.

He was led out the front door, and he saw the marble-like floor of the courtyard and the archways, adorned with ancient swords and axes. That’s when he recognised that they were at the emissary’s villa at the gateway to the city. The one they had been guests of a few times during their visits to Anteros II over the years. He glanced to the side and found the loincloth wearing guardsmen standing to attention. 

He heart leapt with relief and happiness and he approached the tall loincloth wearing blond. He smiled seeing his familiar face, “It is so good to see you my friend.”

Jodan glowered at him with distain but didn’t speak. Superman reached out to his shoulder but Jodan flung his hand away and began shouting angrily at him in Anterian. With much upset of such animosity, Superman stepped back, just as another familiar figure appeared in the archway leading from the villa’s little field after hearing his husband’s distress. 

Superman ran his hand through his hair in agitation. 

Batman said lowly, “They don’t understand, the president of this world has the only translator and only uses it when she bothers to send for an update. 

Carefully, Algo approached his husband in concern. 

Superman took a breath, and then spoke in the language that he had picked up during the years of their friendship, “Don’t worry Algo everything is fine.”

Algo and Jodan glanced at each other and then Algo asked, “You know our language?” 

He smiled, “Yes, but I thought you might be able to understand a little of my language too.” He glanced at Jodan and reassured, “I didn’t mean to upset you. I am just trying to figure out what’s going on here?”

Jodan sneered, “You bring evil men here. We hear you are a criminal from a planet called Earth and must stay here, you made my employer leave her home.”

He winced, “If everything I have learned so far is true, Jodan my only crime is not being able to save my world from those evil men.”

The fun-loving but kind blond man that he knew as his friend stared at him, not knowing how to respond. Then beside him his brown haired more perceptive friend asked, “How do you know our names…” he motioned to Batman, “He does not try to talk to us although he has been here for a week now.”

Superman smiled amiably, “I wish I knew what has happened. I think the leader of those evil men has changed everyone’s memories. I know you and your husband. You two are dear friends of my husband and me.”

If they didn’t know him he didn’t expect them to believe it, however, Algo tilted his head and only asked, “Where is this husband that you have tied your fate to?”

Uneasily he smirked and pointed to the doorway behind them.

Algo’s eyes widened, “Your husband is this silent jailer?”

He shrugged, “He doesn’t remember either.”

 

To be continued


	2. Chapter 2

TITLE: Captivating Elpis 2  
PAIRING: Clark/Bruce   
AUTHOR: Whiterose  
RATING: Adult  
WORD COUNT: 2,865  
DISCLAIMER: I only own the story.  
SUMMARY: Clark discovers what changed the world around him.

~S~

Both his Anterian friends appeared understandably confused. He didn’t know if to feel sorry for everyone else or feel sorry for himself. Obviously, Algo was still working in his vegetable garden instead of being the chief mentor of the Anterian army. Jodan was not the famed inventor of reading glasses on Anteros II. Then he realised something else, they both looked as young as they did when he first met them so long ago. 

He began to wonder about what he had experienced so far. His friends looked younger, there was no Anterian army, Darkseid hadn’t attacked since before Batman and Superman had come here the first time, and Batman was being emotionally distant.

Shit.

It couldn’t be.

He couldn’t believe it.

Had Darkseid managed to change the outcome of that battle all those years ago? If Darkseid won back then, why did Clark remember the previous timeline?

Impatiently, not remembering the language Batman said, “Come back inside, and leave these Anterians alone.

He nodded along, “Okay.” and then said to Algo and Jodan, “I’ve got to go now, but I’ll talk to you again…” he began to step away and then he thought of something that could be important and asked, “Is there a spaceship parked up around here?”

Jodan shook his head, “No.”

“What about when we arrived…?”

Algo revealed, “When the evil men came here there were big flying ships, but they went away again when they left.”

Jodan concurred, “When your husband came, and they brought you here, I saw it was inside a tall bright yellow light.”

He nodded with understanding, and sighed, “A boom tube.”

“Not good?” Algo asked.

He cringed, “Not good, no escape, stuck here for now.”

Batman ordered again, “Back inside.”

He nodded, and then followed him back inside the villa. 

There was no escape, and with no powers, it was going to need teamwork to beat the bad guys and restore this messed up timeline. He couldn’t afford to give up everything that was so good in his life. Superman was going to need Batman’s help to do that, and Clark needed Bruce’s complete faith.

He needed his husband.

~*~

He followed Batman back inside the gateway villa, he felt vaguely guilty that the emissary had lost her house, as it had been commandeered as Superman’s prison cell. She was a good woman, starting off standoffish and a little dismissive at their first couple of meetings, but after they had helped her citizens train an army, she had been polite and obliging, letting them use her facilities and such.

He watched Batman’s black cape clad back as he walked ahead of him, the soles of his boots echoed heavy on the marble-like floors. He knew the other hero didn’t remember the emissary any more than he remembered their friends Algo and Jodan or even his life with Clark. He was almost positive that his theory was true; Darkseid had somehow managed to change history. However, he needed to figure out what had happened that had changed things so drastically before he could start to put it right.

As they reached a lounge area with a built-in fire and soft furnishings including a low roman style couch, and a dining table positioned over by the patio windows. The interior of the villa was impressive but he wasn’t in the frame of mind to appreciate the room.

He asked, “You said before that I let Earth fall, what happened?”

Batman stilled, and turned slowly, he gazed at him without showing any signs of what he was thinking. It was unnerving being denied the openness the he had enjoyed from this man until now. Then Batman spoke lowly, “If you really don’t remember, then maybe that’s a good thing… for you.”

“I need to know.” He implored.

“Leave it Superman.” He insisted.

His heart ached, and he said, “Please call me Clark.”

Batman’s eyes narrowed through the eye holes in the black cowl covering his face. He opened his mouth to speak, he hesitated, and he breathed noisily, “I know that’s your human identity but…”

“It’s my name.” he contended.

“I’ve never called you that; you’ve never asked me to.” He stated.

“Please Bruce.” he beseeched quietly.

He saw a flicker of something… questioning.

He realised at the moment Bruce wasn’t in the right mood to listen to Clark’s truth. Clark tried to lighten the moment, and gave him a credible explanation, “If we’re going to be here for a long time… I just thought…”

Batman nodded silently, but Clark could see the agreement in his eyes. 

Clark licked his lips nervously and asked again, “What happened on Earth?”

The black armoured figure set off and paced the lounge and Clark could feel the tension radiating off him. Then Batman stopped with his back to him, couldn’t look at him. He revealed stoically, “The battle was going well, you had sent out a rallying call and all the heroes of the Earth came to stand at your side. I came…”

Clark nodded though Batman couldn’t see him. That was what happened. Everyone had come; all those that he had met during all the time that Justice League had come together bit by bit over the years. Batman had come and Superman had been relieved, Superman’s strategy was always to go out there and do your best, but Batman had the kind of analytical mind that could see the whole picture, and then plot a defence. 

He’d been grateful because Batman being there took the burden of responsibility and authority off his shoulders, Superman was the leader of the JLA, they were his team, but he needed the leeway to be able to leave the planning to Batman, so Superman could be in the front line. 

He remembers a conversation a long time ago between Clark and Bruce, when Bruce had asked about his powers. After explaining, Bruce had compared the people of Earth, even the other heroes to being children compared to Superman’s powers and his pain endurance. And that was it, when it came down to it Clark was the big kid who had to step in front of the littler kids to protect them from the school bully.

If someone had to go toe to toe with Darkseid, it had to be him.

He replied, “You did come. I remember that, I was so happy to fight by your side.”

The cowl covered head bowed, and then he continued still with his back to him, “The battle was going well on all fronts, you inspired everyone so much that the ordinary citizens joined in and tried to help, fighting with shotguns and baseball bats, work tools anything they could get their hands on.”

Clark smiled with pride, “I remember that too.”

“Then the main round came, Superman vs Darkseid and everyone seemed to stop and watch. You got hit, and then hit again, and we saw you get up off the ground and hit back every single time. We prayed and we were so proud knowing you would never give up.”

He swallowed hard remembering how battered, bloody, and bruised he’d been as he’d slugged it out with the Apokolips god. He smiled wryly, that was before he’d started his defensive training with Bruce here on Anteros II. But Batman was right he wouldn’t give up, he was just stubborn like that, just like his husband was. 

Then Batman turned around then, but still didn’t meet his gaze, “It seemed you’d finally had enough, and you punched him so hard, it looked like he’d gone into orbit, and all of Metropolis cheered.”

He smiled he remembered that too, so proud that he had everyone’s support, it was the acknowledgement that his cause, his calling was a valid one. He looked up from his reminiscence, and he saw Batman was now staring straight at him. His eyes hard but full of pain at the same time.

“The minutes stretched out, and everyone started to believe that Darkseid was just gone. That he’d turned tail and ran.” His armoured chest rose and fell. “Then suddenly he was back, and he dumped something squirming at your feet…we all stared at it uncomprehending until it stopped moving altogether.”

Clark frowned, “What…?”

“It was a body, a pretty dark haired young women covered in blood, a woman the whole world knew you were close to and your face, the anguish, you looked like you would kill Darkseid there and then if you could.”

His mind filled in the picture, “Lois… no that didn’t happen, that didn’t happen.” He was adamant.

“Darkseid knew what you wanted to do to him; he knew he was so close to making you turn your back on everything you believed in, knew he almost had you. You looked away from him, and your despair filled eyes found mine… then there was a scream and we both turned and we saw Darkseid with his hand around the throat of an old women with silver hair.”

He stared back in horror.

“In that moment everything was lost, Darkseid demanded surrender, and although the brave old woman choked out, ‘Don’t Superman.’ You gave up; you gave up the whole goddamned world.”

He felt sick, he didn’t remember, and Batman hadn’t named her but he knew… he knew. He breathed fitfully, “Is my mom okay, did he release her?”

“I don’t know.”

He demanded angrily, “How do you not know?”

“I had more pressing matters…”

He knew what he meant by that, “Did Alfred make it through the battle?”

Batman tensed his jaw, “Why the fuck do you keep talking to me like we’re friends?”

He bowed his head then, “Aren’t we friends Bruce, I remember back then we never said, but we were friends, you trusted me. You trust me.”

He spoke solemnly, “I did until that day.”

He almost pleaded, “I don’t remember giving up, but what would you have done to save the person you love the most.”

Batman glanced away, he nodded to himself, “I’d give up Gotham, I’d give up the fight, and I’d agree to be your warden here on this damned alien world.”

“They have Alfred?”

“No, but his safety is the key to your cell.”

He was thankful that Alfred was all right. He knew the truth of this reality now, he knew with no powers here, and Batman as his warden he had nowhere to go. He told this man who didn’t know how they really felt about each other the truth. “I wouldn’t even try to escape. I’m not going anywhere without you, Bruce.”

~*~ 

It was a peculiar kind of prison, luxurious rooms, and freedom to go outside… nonetheless it was a prison, this wasn’t his life, he had freedom, but he couldn’t escape the planet. Anteros II didn’t have a space program, or many intergalactic visitors to stow away on theirs ships. The worst thing about it all was the isolation. His warden, his teammate, his lover, his husband kept his distance after explaining about the fall of Earth.

He remembered how they had fallen in love with each other right here on this planet. However, as far as Bruce was concerned none of that had ever happened. It was probably romantic nonsense to think he could make him fall in love with him again. It wouldn’t be the same, it couldn’t be, they’d been victorious trusted teammates that had slipped into friendship and then more sharing that tent, sharing slow-coming sensual admiration, and then deep lasting love. 

His evening meal was delivered by the manservants, and he ate alone. As night fell, he fell asleep alone in a strange bed. He pondered in the lonely bed, it might’ve been better if he’d been imprisoned alone, then he would’ve had the false hope that his partner was out there and was going to find a way to save him.

~*~

After the silent despair in the darkness of his bedroom last night, he awoke with determination in his heart, he might be down, but he wasn’t beat yet. He couldn’t escape but he could make sure his incarceration didn’t defeat him. He redressed in his uniform. He left the solitude of his bedroom and found a cowl wearing Batman in the lounge area eating breakfast at the table. He saw Batman still as he approached, uncomfortable in his presence. Superman shrugged at him, and then joined him at the table. He saw he was eating some fruit, nuts, and drinking a glass of the Anterian milk - an approximation of goat’s milk. He smiled, and teased, “As close to a nutritionally balanced breakfast as you could get here, huh?”

Batman sighed under his breath. Clark chuckled softly, and when the manservant came in, he asked for the Anterian equivalent of bacon, and eggs, with some crusty bread and olive oil. When the servant returned with his food, he saw Batman’s eyes brightened by the sunshine through the window widen behind the cowl. 

He tilted his head, “What?”

He chewed on a nut, and shrugged, “You realise without your powers here, what you eat makes a difference to your health?”

Clark nodded, “Yeah I do…” he continued huskily, “But I intend working it off.”

He saw a glimmer of something in his neutral eyes that gave Clark a tiny bit of hope; Bruce still enjoyed him teasing him. He understood Bruce’s distance, as far as he was concerned Clark had lost their planet, but he knew that the man he had fallen in love with all those years ago was still there.

He smiled, and asked conversationally, “What are you going to do today?”

He was disappointed as he saw the light dim in his eyes. “What is there to do here?” he stood up, swigged down his milk and then left Clark alone again. 

“It’s okay…” he told himself, “It’ll get better.”

~*~

After breakfast, he decided to get started on making this experience more tolerable. He went outside into the courtyard, and he found his old friend Jodan on duty again. He smiled and nodded, “Good morning Jodan.”

The blond loincloth wearing guardsman looked wary about talking to the Earth criminal again, but Clark knew Jodan was such a nice guy, that he wouldn’t be able to resist being friendly sooner or later once he realised Clark wasn’t such a bad guy. The other guardsman on duty faced stoically ahead and didn’t look at him at all.

Clark turned and crossed the courtyard, and entered through one of the archways into the little field. He found Algo working away there, as he knew he would. Algo stopped working; he wiped sweat from his brow, and studied Clark. 

Clark smiled, “Hi.”

“Hello…” Algo smirked a little, “You allowed out here?”

He grinned happy that Algo was willing to give him a chance, and said dryly, “Actually I don’t think Bruce cares where I am at the moment.”

“Bruce…?” Algo inquired.

“The man in black.” he explained.

“Your husband you said.”

“That’s right.”

Algo pursed his lips, “So you just come out here to watch me work?”

That remark reminded him of the story his friends had told him about how they got together as a couple. He glanced over Algo’s sweaty healthy naked torso, and then he glanced at the archway. He laughed as he saw Jodan standing there looking annoyed.

Algo and Jodan were both surprised at his laughter, and Clark reassured, “Don’t worry I’m not another Brylin.”

Their eyes popped at the mention of Algo’s previous admirer. Jodan asked with a narrowed gaze, “You know Brylin?”

Clark chuckled, “No, you told me the story, about your competition for Algo’s affection.”

“I told you?”

“I told you before we’re friends, it’s just another life.”

His Anterian friends were still confused, and he couldn’t blame them but he said, “Don’t worry about it. I know you don’t know me or trust me, but I’d like to be friends with you here starting now.”

Jodan stepped in through the archway, he glanced over his husband’s sweaty fit torso, and then he asked Clark, “My Algo is very good to look at, can I trust you when you say you do not desire him?”

Clark smiled softly at his two dear friends, “Trust me, I have my hands full with my own desirable husband.”

Algo arched an eyebrow, “Your husband is good looking under his battledress?”

He let out a gusty breath and laughed softly, “Under his battledress my Bruce is beautiful.”

His friends chuckled along at his candour, but this time Jodan questioned, “Bruce?”

He nodded, “My husband is called Bruce, and I am Clark.”

Algo reached out and offered his hand, “It is good to know you Clark.” 

Clark took the offering and shook it. He clasped their joined hands with his other one, and held it. “I’d like to ask you a favour, I need somethings, and I know I can rely on you two.”

 

To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

TITLE: Captivating Elpis 3  
PAIRING: Clark/Bruce   
AUTHOR: Whiterose  
RATING: Adult  
WORD COUNT: 2,817  
DISCLAIMER: I only own the story.  
SUMMARY: Clark explains to Bruce what he thinks Darkseid has done. 

~S~

An hour later, Algo arrived back at the villa, and Clark met him at the door and thanked him. He went back inside. He took the largest item to the kitchen and gave a request to the manservant. He took the other items to his bedroom. 

He laid the pile on the bed. He popped the smallest item away. He didn’t believe for one second that he would have use of it, not in this situation, but he’d asked Algo to get it just out of habit. 

Then he turned back to the bed, where the softer items were. He reached for his cape, and removed it, and then he continued to undress. Nude, he crossed the room and put his cape, boots and uniform into a storage chest, and closed the lid; he didn’t know when he would need them again. He returned to the bed and picked up the simple piece of cotton-like material, and then fastened it around himself. Once secure he reached for the next thing, and he slipped the white chiton on over his head. He smoothed it down and then he sat down on the bed, and put his leather sandals on. 

He stood up and approached the length of mirror on the wall. His smile was small as he saw himself in the Anterian garments again; he remembered how shy he had felt putting them on and coming out of the tent that first time, he wore them. He remembers the curl of Bruce’s lips when he had clapped eyes on him.

As time had gone on, he’d learnt that Bruce always found his discomfort amusing, but with hindsight, he can detect the first spark of attraction there in his future lover’s eyes within the memory.

He smiled at the memories. He reached up, and he ran his fingers through his hair tousling it a little. Then he turned away and he picked up the rest of the pile on his bed. He carried them as he left his bedroom. He passed down a long hallway; he opened a couple of doors until he found the bedroom that Batman was using. 

He was surprised when he found Batman was actually in residence. Batman didn’t speak he just stared at him. Then he cleared his throat and asked lowly, “What are you wearing?”

Clark glanced down his own body, his presence here had distracted him, and he straightened his shoulders and said confidently, “If we’re going to be staying here, we should be comfortable.” He knew how stubborn Bruce could be, knew he could use his duties to punish himself. Because Clark knew internally, he was probably blaming himself for the failure to protect Earth as much as he was outwardly blaming Clark. Before he could try to do anything like that, Clark continued, “The weather here can be really hot, and staying in that insulated suit is going to cook you.”

He saw Batman’s jaw tense just before he opened his mouth and tried an excuse. 

He wasn’t standing for it, and he admonished pointing at him, “You’ve probably only got that one suit with you same as me, you don’t want to end up stinking do you?”

Reflexively, Batman let out a little snort of a laugh. 

Clark smiled, and then offered the clothes in his hands, “Here I got you a change of clothes.”

As Batman approached to take the offered clothes, instinctively, Clark dropped them on the bed, and then reached out to help Bruce. In surprise of his movement, Batman stayed still as Clark reached for the cowl. He thought he saw a glimmer of cruel satisfaction in his eyes.

Clark’s lips quirked, and then he released the safety mechanism, before lifting it and pushing it back from his face.

Clark’s heart fluttered seeing his face and his soft slightly messy dark hair after seeing only the cowl until now. He gazed at him a little too long. So close that his fingers instinctively caressed his cheeks. Bruce’s chest heaved, and he asked gravelly, “How did you know how to do that?”

He smiled softly, “You mean without electrocuting myself or blowing your head off?”

Bruce swallowed hard, and nodded.

Clark sighed softly, “I don’t think you’d believe me if I told you.”

Still in awe that Clark had been able to remove his cowl without injury to either of them, Bruce said quietly, “Try me.”

Encouraged, Clark smiled, and he reached out to the armoured uniform and began unfastening it. Standing so close, Clark revealed, “Okay, the truth. I remember a life, a timeline that I think that you and everyone else doesn’t.” Even as he let him help with the Batsuit, Bruce’s brow creased at what he was saying. Clark carried on, “As I told you yesterday, I remember us winning against Darkseid’s forces. A few weeks later, the Anterian government found a way to contact the Watchtower. We came here for a diplomatic meeting, you, and me. They were worried about the threat of Darkseid to them, because as you rightly said yesterday they had no army. They wanted us to train some men to fight. Although the chances of them beating Darkseid were more than slim, you suggested that it would be good public relations. So we agreed, and we stayed here.”

Bruce snorted softly, “Yeah right, I don’t have military training why would I…”

He sniggered at his reaction, “I said the same thing, even tried to suggest we get someone else, Diana or even Hal maybe, but you were insistent that you could do it.”

He saw the crinkle of amusement at the corners of Bruce’s eyes at the idea, as if it was absurd. After undoing the clasps, Clark circled him and grabbed the edge of the collar of the Batsuit, and began peeling it away from his shoulders. Bruce allowed it. Clark continued his story. “So, we stayed here, we stayed in a camp of thirty Anterian men, in a tent four miles from here for three months…”

As Bruce’s strong muscled back was revealed, Clark had the urge to kiss him there, press his soft lips to the slightly damp skin. However, he knew it wouldn’t go down well at the moment and so he restrained himself.

Over his shoulder, as he pushed the suit down from his waist, Bruce said, “Three months you think I’m going to believe we were here that long, that we would leave Earth that long?” 

Bruce turned and then sat down on the bed, and automatically Clark knelt down and he grabbed a leg and pulled a boot off. He glanced up between boots, and saw Bruce gazing at him, curious of his actions and conscious of his position on his knees in front of him. In this familiar position, Clark was totally at ease, he smiled and grasped and pulled his tight suit off, and down his legs and over his feet. “Our teammates coped without us.” Then he admired the naked man sitting on the bed staring at him. He had less scars blemishing that gorgeous body than by Clark’s own time, he had been through many more fights since their time on Anteros II. He licked his lips before he told him, “We had our reasons for staying…” he met his gaze, “Not only were you good at training the men, you were great at it. We enjoyed it here, a simpler life. The men who came to be trained were devoted to you, and so was I.”

He saw confusion flicker in Bruce’s eyes, and then Clark told him, “We became lovers.”

Bruce’s eyes clouded over, and then Clark revealed it… the thing… the most important thing, “We got married, Bruce.”

Those clouds cleared instantly and he shook his head, “Almost… but you went too far.”

He saw the quirk of his husband’s lips, and asked knowingly, “You think I’m lying?”

“Aren’t you?” he said with a smile.

Clark loved seeing his smile after the last day or so of misery. Agitating Bruce wouldn’t aid his cause, so he smiled smugly, “Are you saying you wouldn’t marry me?”

Bruce pursed his lips wryly, revealing, “I’ve never wanted to marry anyone.”

He knew that, he remembered Bruce telling him that he didn’t let anyone too close. He was so thankful, that Bruce had allowed himself to open up to Clark for so long now. Not wanting to spoil the truce between them, he fell back on an old goad, “Why would you want to when you have them fall at your feet.”

The fact Clark was on his knees and at his feet didn’t escape Clark or Bruce’s attention. Clark grinned coyly and then reached for Bruce’s sandals. He helped him put them on. As he concentrated on the fastenings, he said, “I mean it about everything else.”

“Even the lovers part?” he asked lowly.

Clark didn’t look up, but he nodded as he did the other sandal up. “We shared the tent for every night of those three months, and it got cold out there at night.”

“So purely rational reasons?” he queried dryly.

He leered playfully and complimented, “You’re really good in bed.”

Bruce laughed in response. 

Then he stood up to put the loincloth on. Clark stayed on his knees gazing up at the fine nude figure of the man he loved with his whole body, spirit, and mind. He wanted nothing more than to lean in and press his lips to his husband’s flesh. They’d shared many happy anniversaries since but the visage in front of him was the less seasoned man he had fallen in love and lust with.

The man in question fixed his loincloth, and then gazed down at him. He saw him swallow hard before he reached for his white chiton. As he pulled it over his head, Clark pulled himself up from his knees. As Bruce fixed the hem, Clark reached out and he combed Bruce’s hair with his fingers. Bruce glanced up, and his eyes locked with Clark’s. Clark’s fingers lingered. He wanted to close the gap between their lips. To pull him into his arms and just hold him would be enough right now. Bruce must’ve seen his thoughts, and breathed softly, “No.”

Clark swallowed down his disappointment. 

Although Bruce had accepted the idea of Clark’s memories with a touch of humour, even if he didn’t believe him, he knew this man wasn’t in love with him. It had taken weeks of living in close proximity the first time to develop and then admit their attraction to each other. Instead, he asked, “Okay but can we not avoid each other while we’re here please?”

He saw Bruce’s mind working behind his eyes, and Clark added, “Don’t let Darkseid take anything more from us.”

~*~

Later, the rosy sun was high in the sky and with nothing of interest to do Clark wandered back outside. He passed by Jodan, who looked bemused to see him wearing the clothes Algo had gotten for him. Clark smirked in return and then went through the archway that led to the little field. Algo glanced up from his job, and he shook his head, “Back again?”

“There’s nothing to do inside.”

“Your husband is he doing nothing too?”

He shrugged, “Bruce can always find something to do. He hates doing nothing.” It was true, even if it was mediation or exercising. He glanced around the garden, and admitted, “I’m kind of the same way. Do you need any help?”

Algo frowned, “You say you are a warrior who protects your world from evil men, what do you know about my duties here.”

He laughed softly, “I keep forgetting you can’t remember things about me. I know a lot of things, even about growing vegetables.” He motioned to the lines of vegetables in Algo’s garden. 

Algo raised a brow with scepticism, “Really?”

He nodded, “My dad taught me. So can I help?”

His dear friend studied him, and then he said, “You can do the weeding.”

Clark laughed and said wryly, “Give me the best job, why don’t you.”

Algo laughed in response.

~*~

After a while of working in the sun, he felt a presence and he glanced up from the patch he was weeding and saw Bruce was gazing at him in perplexity from the archway. He grinned, and explained, “I was bored.”

Hearing the foreign tongue spoken Algo turned away from his own job and his gaze found Bruce standing there too. With a touch of disbelief, he glanced back to Clark and asked, “Is that your Bruce standing there?”

Clark grinned with pride and nodded, “Beautiful isn’t he?”

Algo nodded, “He is very fine, but I prefer myself golden hair.”

He replied, “I bet Jodan is pleased about that.”

Not understanding Anterian anymore, Bruce frowned, and asked, “What are you saying to him, did I hear him say my name?”

He nodded and revealed, “Yes I told him my companion’s name earlier, and he just asked if that was who you are.”

Bruce nodded and glanced at Algo a little distrustfully. Clark mediated, “Algo, and his husband Jodan are good men, you don’t have to worry.”

“How do you know this?”

“I told you, we’ve… well I’ve been here before, and these two men became our close friends. Algo was even one of the men we trained to fight.”

“I don’t like this…”

“I know.” He said sympathetically, “But you can handle it I know you can.”

Bruce gazed at him with a tilted head. Clark smiled, and then reached for another weed, pulling it from the rich soil of the bed and asked casually, “Did you come out here for something?”

Seeing that Clark was going to continue what he was doing, Bruce found a seat on a stone step near the archway. He told him, “I contacted the government official who deals with us being placed here. I arranged for more garments to be delivered. He added, “Seeing as though we’re going native I guess we’ll need changes of clothes.”

“Good idea.” He noticed Algo watching as they spoke the unfamiliar Earth language. He asked Bruce, “Any chance of a universal translator.”

His partner grimaced, “The Anterian government isn’t as amiable as what you describe in your ‘theory’, and won’t release the only translator.”

He reflected the grimace. 

He noticed Jodan appear through the archway. He stared at Bruce sitting there on the step with his head and face uncovered, wearing his white chiton, his strong arms and legs revealed, and having an easy conversation flowing from his lips. Jodan praised, “Good to look at as you said.”

Clark smirked with territorial pride.

Oblivious, Bruce asked, “What?”

This time he told the truth, “He said you’re pretty.”

His partner snorted, “You’re the pretty one.”

His heart fluttered hearing the spontaneous compliment come from his love’s lips. He smiled shyly. Jodan asked, “What did he say?”

Clark chuckled; maybe he could get a job as a translator. With the smile still on his lips he revealed to his friends, “He said that I’m better to look at.”

Algo and Jodan looked him over consideringly, and nodded along not committing one way or another. Then Algo asked, “You said Bruce does not remember you as we don’t.”

“That’s true.”

Bruce’s brow creased, “He said my name again.”

Clark rolled his eyes, and then he pointed at his chiton, and said the word in Anterian. His other friends looked curious. Clark pointed at his chiton and again said the word. Understanding lit up Bruce’s eyes; he licked his lips and repeated what Clark had said. 

Clark smiled. He pointed at his sandals and said the word. Again, Bruce repeated it.

His friends were watching inquisitively. 

He explained, “Bruce is very clever, and has an excellent memory. I’m going to teach him to speak your language. Will you help me?”

Jodan smiled widely at the notion. “I will try.” He pointed at Bruce to get his attention and then he pointed at himself. “I am Jodan.”

Bruce narrowed his gaze, and then nodded, and pointed at Jodan, “Jodan.” Then he pointed at himself, “I am Bruce.”

Jodan grinned with amusement. The tanned loincloth wearing guardsman took a seat next to Bruce on the steps. He nodded along, “Yes, Bruce I know.”

Then Jodan pointed at the stone step, and said the Anterian word. Bruce nodded, and repeated the word. Jodan laughed and patted Bruce on the back, “Very good Bruce.”

Clark laughed too, Bruce glanced at him, and Clark smiled, and then Bruce mirrored his smile, he motioned to Jodan with his head, “Friendly.”

“Told you so.”

 

To be continued.


	4. Chapter 4

TITLE: Captivating Elpis 4  
PAIRING: Clark/Bruce   
AUTHOR: Whiterose  
RATING: Adult  
WORD COUNT: 2633  
DISCLAIMER: I only own the story.  
SUMMARY: Clark tries to convince Bruce he’s telling the truth.

~*~

They spent the rest of the day like that, Algo and Clark gardening, Jodan teaching Bruce the Anterian words for things. Clark explaining things when he needed to, until Bruce could say and understand short simple sentences. By the time, it was time for Algo and Jodan to go home; Jodan and Bruce were almost playing charades to get ideas across to each other. With Jodan miming, and saying the words, he told him that they were going home – hands forming a box shape and then a peaked roof. They were going to have their dinner – using a make believe knife and folk and chewing. Then going to sleep – tilted head and closed eyes, and then finally they would do this again tomorrow – pointing to himself and Bruce and pointing at the stone step that they were sitting on. 

When they left for home, Clark and Bruce went back inside the villa. Bruce’s lip curled as he commented, “Jodan is very animated isn’t he?”

Clark nodded along, “They are both smart. Algo loves his garden, but I think being a guardsman isn’t very fulfilling for Jodan, I think Jodan enjoyed using his mind today.”

Bruce nodded with a smile in his eyes but it had not quite reached his lips, “It was a good idea of yours. It will make things easier here.”

He bowed his head bashfully, “Thanks B.”

His partner got the questioning look in his keen eyes again, as he asked, “B?”

Clark revealed, “It’s what I call you sometimes, short for Batman, and Bruce…” …and Beautiful. He added silently to himself.

Bruce nodded thoughtfully, and said quietly, “I like it.”

He smiled with fondness, “Good, anyway um how about we go get our dinner.”

His partner reached out, and wiped a smudge of soil from his cheek, “Better have a wash first.” Then he looked uncomfortable and then dropped his hand away.

Unthinking he cajoled, “You want to join me in the bath?”

Keen eyes darted to his and then stared at him inscrutably.

He breathed deeply and said, “I didn’t mean… it’s a big bath that’s all… um have you seen it?”

God he hated having to walk on egg shells with his own husband and he wished he could have things back as they were. He knew that if he was going to find a way to get his real life back, he was going to have to be patient.

He cleared his throat, “No… not yet, I’ve been having rinse off with a jug and a bowl.”

Lightly, he said, “Well it’s amazing, like a spa or Roman bath or something. You can even have a masseur if you want.”

Bruce appeared perturbed at the notion, “A shower would be fine.”

“No showers.”

“No?”

He motioned with his head, “Let me show you.”

~*~ 

He showed him the spa, with its marble like pedestals and blue tiled heated pools and warm water. He saw the corner of his partner’s mouth curl up, and knew he liked it. Clark said, “It’s nice isn’t it.”

Bruce nodded silently in agreement.

“Do you want get cleaned up while we’re already here?” he wondered.

“Yes, that would be great.”

“Okay, I’ll go and get hold of some towels and a sponge, and I’ll be right back.”

He turned and left Bruce there, and went to find the manservants. 

~*~

A couple of minutes later, Clark returned with his quested items. He entered to find Bruce already in the water, naked and relaxing back against the steps as he did habitually. He could imagine his husband’s eagerness to get in there it was always a treat when they came to Anteros II. He put down the items on a nearby shelf, and then he just watched him for a few moments, enjoying seeing Bruce relax. He smiled adoringly and for a second he could imagine this was his real life, and everything was as wonderful as it was meant to be. Although they faced hardships that came with their calling to help the innocents of the world, he wouldn’t give up everything that was good about their lives together.

Then he reached for his sandals and removed them, and then he slipped off his chiton, and loincloth.

He picked up the sponge and then he walked down the steps into the water. Passing Bruce, he waded into the deep water. He sighed as the warm water eased some of the tension Clark hadn’t even realised his body was holding on to. He laid his arms over the edge of the far side of the pool, and just stood there, taking a moment to unwind with the light steam in the air wafting around him.

Eventually he had to urge himself to move. He turned sideways and he dunked his head under the water, and then gasped out a breath as he pulled out. It was always strange getting used to not being able to hold his breath for long. As the water trickled off his body, he ran his fingers through his hair tousling it. 

Then he heard a soft under the breath exclamation, “God.”

Clark turned, and saw Bruce’s eyes were open and watching him. The warm water lapped around Clark’s hips, and the water droplets beaded on his eyelashes, as he licked his moist lips, he let his hand fall to his side and smiled, “Hi.”

The man, who was supposed to be his husband, stared at him with incongruity and a little bit of admiration. “You are so different than I thought you were.”

“I know, I remember when we came here, both of us was so used to seeing each other in the thick of the action, on duty, it was strange getting to know the personal sides of each other.” he reminisced.

Bruce’s gaze slid palpably over Clark’s wet nude muscular form. “It is strange."

Clark gave him a smug little half smile, and started washing, using the sponge over his chest and around his neck, and Bruce’s eyes followed his movements. He noticed the thickening flesh that lay against Bruce’s belly, in the shallows of the water. Though he was gratified that he could cause the sexual awakening, Clark snorted softly and revealed, “I meant getting to know you as a person Bruce, it was really nice.” he saw the surprise in his eyes at that comment. He ran the sponge under his armpits and down his arms. He revealed further, “The first time we were here in this bath, I would’ve been so shy and jittery if you had looked at me as you are now, so candidly.”

He continued washing, running his hands over his waist and hips, down over his ass cheeks, down the valley, in-between them.

Bruce’s voice echoed from his throat, “But you said we were lovers.”

He nodded, “We were after that, and that’s why I’m so at ease with you now. There’s nothing about us that the other doesn’t know, nothing hidden.”

“You make it sound perfect.” He uttered huskily.

He was drawn to the sound of his voice; he approached him slowly, wading through the water, “Not perfect, just right.”

Bruce watched him come to him. Clark dropped the sponge, and it floated away. He stepped up a couple of steps. Then he lowered himself purposefully, until he was straddling Bruce, and his knees were resting on the blue tiled steps. He came to rest and felt the hardening flesh pressed beneath him. 

He saw a shudder run through Bruce’s body, a shudder of nerves, or arousal he wasn’t sure, but it didn’t matter as Clark leaned forward his hands pressed to the tiles either side of his lover’s head and he kissed Bruce’s wet muscled chest. Bruce shuddered again. Clark breathed through his nose and licked over his nipple. Bruce hissed quietly as it hardened. Clark switched to the other nipple, and asked against it, “Does it feel right B?”

There was a catch in Bruce’s voice as he groaned, “Shit, yes, yes it does.”

Clark smiled against his chest. He reached further up, following his jugular vein and kissed Bruce’s throat. His lover moaned, “Yes.”

He felt the matching growing hardness against his cock, and he rocked against it, and bit Bruce’s throat softly. He felt Bruce’s strong hands find and cup his hips, and then his fingers pressing into the flesh of his ass cheeks, and then Bruce ground up to meet him. Clark gasped, and hummed in desire. Bruce groaned in response, “I should’ve known you would be this good.”

“Yeah?” he mouthed into his throat.

“Oh yeah, you’re fucking super.”

He moaned his laugh into the salty sweet skin, and he quickened his motion over him. 

Bruce echoed his moan, “Damn I’m getting so hard.”

Clark’s own arousal was spiking and being with the man he loved made him feel as if everything was going to be all right after all. 

He cried softly as Bruce’s mouth found his throat, and sucked hard. He gasped into Bruce's ear, “Even after everything, baby this is all that matters. You and me that’s all. That’s all.”

A second later, Clark found himself flung away; he hit the water, and made a shallow splash, and jarred his side on the blue tiled steps. He was shocked and disoriented until he looked up from the tiled steps and met the angry face of the man who was now standing at the top of the steps. Bruce censured, “You keep overdoing it. Do you think because of my reputation that sex is my weakest? You think if you tell me a nice story and then seduce me, that I’ll let you escape. Think again.”

He turned away, his arousal plain to see but with the discipline, Clark loved him for, he began to walk away. Clark pulled himself out the water, and he strode up the steps after him. He reached out and grabbed his shoulder, “Wait, you’ve got me wrong.”

Even after all the years of training with him, without his powers Bruce still had the edge. He was out of his grasp, he was turned around, and then Bruce was behind him with his hand clamped around Clark’s throat, before he could stop him. 

He swallowed against his palm. He said hoarsely, “B I know your reputation isn’t really you. That’s not what this was about.”

He heard Bruce breath noisy at his ear, before he grated out, “I always admired your tenacity, never giving in without a fight, but this was something I didn’t expect of you.”

He felt his lover’s arousal resting against his ass cheeks. He sighed, “Bruce.”

Then he felt Bruce’s hand leave his throat, and then tentatively both hands slid down his chest, it heaved as he felt the fingers glide over his nipples, his own arousal bopped in front of him as those familiar but now trembling hands caressed his abdomen. Ground his teeth as they skimmed his tender side, then he whispered, “Bruce.”

“You have more powers and skills in your arsenal than I ever considered.”

He felt that hard cock slide up the valley of his cheeks. Clark wanted to argue, tell him he was wrong, but all he could get out was an uttered, “Please.” 

“Even if I’d known what you were capable of I wouldn’t have ever considered you would use them to seduce me.”

Felt it again, he felt Bruce’s breath on the back of his neck, felt his hands grasp his hips, felt the tip against him. He bowed his head almost to his chest, instinctively arched his hips for it, “Please.” He breathed again.

He heard Bruce swallow hard, and then a quiet rough confession, “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

Bruce released him and stepped back, Clark was jolted from his entrancement, at the unexpected withdrawal of his nearness. Clark turned, and his needful eyes met dazed ones, as Bruce repeated, “I don’t know what I’m doing.” 

Then he turned away, and grabbed a towel and left the bathroom, leaving Clark alone.

~*~

Clark entered the lounge area after drying off and getting redressed. He was still reeling from his tense encounter with Bruce in the bathroom. He found the man in question sitting at the dining table as the manservants brought in their evening meal. He was drinking from a metal goblet. Clark noticed straightaway the decanter of Anterian wine on the table. Bruce noticed him enter, grimaced, and helped himself to more wine.

He approached the table saying quietly, “Getting drunk isn’t going to help.”

Bruce sniffed at his opinion, and drank some more. 

Clark took his seat at the table. He tried to explain, “What happened before, I’m sorry.” Bruce’s eyes were watchful. Clark sighed, “I keep forgetting that you aren’t in the same place as me, that you haven’t experienced what I’ve experienced with you. You don’t know me like my Bruce does.”

The man sitting across from him shook his head slightly, almost to himself.

Clark almost smiled. He reached for some carved meat, and he brought it to his lips and had a bite. He chewed slowly, and then swallowed. He requested, “Can I ask you something…?”

Bruce frowned but tilted his head in agreement.

Clark reached for the wine, and poured himself a goblet. He commented, “I got this wine from Algo so we could relax not overindulge.”

“I don’t usually drink, despite my reputation.” Bruce denied.

“I know.” He said, and then he started the lead up to the question he’d been thinking about. “I know you remember everything up to that moment when I punched Darkseid, the same as I do. It’s what happened after that that’s been altered.” He saw that Bruce’s eyes were interested. “So I remember working alongside you on missions, and talking at JLA meetings. I know we weren’t… well you never invited me to the Manor or anything, we sometimes disagreed about things, but we liked each other, and we got on. Didn’t we?”

His companion blinked and then nodded.

“You admitted yesterday that you trusted me up until that moment that changed everything.”

Bruce sighed heavily, and took another gulp of wine. 

Clark smiled grimly. He reached for his own goblet of wine and took a sip.

Thoughtfully, he asked, “What I want to know is, suppose at any time between us meeting and working together the first time and that moment with Darkseid, if I’d contacted you, and told you that I thought reality had been tampered with… would you have believed me, would you have helped me figure it out and set it right, Bruce?”

His partner stared at him stoically but didn’t answer. Clark took it as a positive. He stated firmly, “I didn’t give up. In that situation you described with Darkseid’s hand around my mom’s throat, I don’t know what I’d have done differently, but know this, the world I remember was better than this. We drove Darkseid away. We came here to Anteros II. We became lovers. We fell in love. We returned to Earth and we have been together and we’ve worked closely together ever since. We’ve got a life together, a good life Bruce.”

Bruce’s brow creased, as he admitted, “I want to believe you, to believe in a better world.”

“Then believe B, believe in me, as you always have.”

He watched as Bruce lowered his eyes, before a timid smile touched his lips. He said quietly, “Convince me…” he glanced up and met his gaze, “… please.”

Clark nodded, and told him, “Let’s eat our diner, and I’ll tell you everything.”

 

To be continued.


	5. Chapter 5

TITLE: Captivating Elpis 5  
PAIRING: Clark/Bruce   
AUTHOR: Whiterose  
RATING: Adult  
WORD COUNT: 3,117  
DISCLAIMER: I only own the story.  
SUMMARY: Clark continues to tell his story to Bruce.

~S~

The manservants came in and refilled the decanter from the canteen, and left discreetly. Clark watched as Bruce ate his last bite of food. He poured them another glass of wine each. Then they moved from the table to the low soft cushioned roman style couch closer to the fire. It was warmer in the villa than the tent at night, but still they felt it as the temperature dropped outside. 

As they settled down slouching back, Bruce chuckled, “Okay tell me about Alfred.”

He smirked, even though he knew Bruce was getting a kick out of hearing about this other life, Clark knew he was waiting and listening for anything that could refute Clark’s ideas. Before they’d got married, Clark hadn’t got around to meeting Alfred yet, so if he was lying, he couldn’t know anything about Alfred. 

Clark took a sip of wine, and began with a smile, “Alfred is great, he’s patient, he’s a good man and he loves you, Bruce.”

“You’re a journalist; you could make those assertions based on public knowledge of my life.” Bruce goaded softly.

He chuckled, “Okay, he’s patient but longsuffering, and you frustrate him sometimes. He’s loyal, he supports your mission, and he believes in what we do. He believes people should stand up, and fight for what’s right, but secretly he would prefer it if you didn’t feel you have to put yourself in danger. Wishes it didn’t have to be you doing the fighting. If you really were just a vapid playboy, he would still have been there for you. He loves you no matter what, just like my dad loved me.”

He watched Bruce swallow slowly. He knew Alfred had never said those things aloud, but instinctively Bruce knew they were true.

Clark took another sip from his goblet, and scratched at an itch on his bare thigh where the hem of his chiton was. He noticed Bruce observing. He continued regardless, “He’s good with a medical kit. He makes a great full English breakfast.” He grinned, “Alfred and my mom get on like a house on fire, and he loves me to bits.”

Beside him, Bruce laughed out a snort. He met his gaze, and he nodded, “It’s true, he loves me as much as my mom loves you.”

Slowly Bruce ceased laughing, and became quiet. Maybe he was thinking about seeing Darkseid’s hand around her throat. He took a sip of wine. He asked, “Tell me something else.”

He revealed, “We have some boys.”

His partner’s brow creased in wonderment.

“When we were here training these Anterian men, you realised you had the natural ability to help people focus and build on their potential, and that’s what we ended up doing we give shelter and mentor those who need some help along the way.” 

“Tell me about them.”

He smiled wryly, “Well there’s my Conner, he’s impetuous and rushes into danger to help people, kinda like me when I was younger, but he just wants to do his best, and make us proud. Then there’s Dick, he’s become so skilled now that he could be deadly but he’s a sweetheart. Jason is just… he's indomitable and he’s got strong ideas on right and wrong…” Bruce’s face was thoughtful, Clark revealed, “He has a hard time accepting the grey areas of justice, but that’s because he cares so much. Then there’s Tim, he’s so smart and he’s determined. They all want to prove themselves. ”

“They’re all vigilantes?”

He grinned, “They’re maturing now, and becoming heroes in their own right, yeah, but when they get together they always argue about who was the best sidekick.”

“Sidekick… we… I work alone.”

He chuckled and leaned in and whispered, “You did.”

As Bruce gazed at him so close, Clark realised how far he’d leaned in. Automatically, he glanced at his partner’s lips, and then caught himself, he murmured, “Sorry.”

Bruce breathed unsteadily, “Tell me something else.”

Clark blinked slowly and confessed earnestly, “I love you B.”

Intense eyes stared into his, and then Clark nodded slowly, and said quietly, “I know you don’t love me, I don’t expect you to, it’s okay.”

He backed away, and he took the last gulp of his wine. Feeling the tenseness still in the air, he stood up and he walked over to the dining table, and refilled his goblet. He drank some of his wine before returning to the couch.

As he did, he saw those intense eyes were still watching him. Clark’s eyes traced over Bruce’s body lying sprawled on the soft cushioned couch; he saw his strong legs that had caught a touch of the sun, just from being outside today. He took his seat again. Then Bruce spoke finally, “Earlier in the bath, you talked about how I looked at you so candidly. You’re telling me stories that suggest that years have passed…” Clark held his gaze waiting to see where Bruce was going with this, and then Bruce got to the point, his voice soft and impassioned, “But the way you look at me… how can your desire still be so strong?”

Clark didn’t know the answer. “I don’t know. I just feel it.” 

He put down his goblet and moved closer, slowly he reached out to Bruce’s knee, he ran his hand up his strong thigh, and he brought the hem of his white chiton with it. Bruce let him. He murmured, “Most of the time when I’m busy my desire is just background noise, not my entire focus but it’s still there, we’ve been together so long that our desire is a smouldering ember but when the time is right it kindles back to fiery life.” 

As he pushed the material of the chiton up, he revealed Bruce’s toned stomach, he saw the muscles of his abs tense and relax as the tension ran through his lover’s body. “…it’s a fire.” Clark leaned forward and he kissed gently the skin there. He murmured, “Right now, you look like the young beautiful man I fell for.” He licked a short strip along the defined muscles there.

He felt Bruce’s fingers twist into his hair, as his body arched to meet his lips. Clark met his heated gaze, and saw the goblet in his hand shake. 

With both hands, Clark pushed Bruce’s chiton further up until his chest was revealed. Clark let his hands feel the incredible physique that Bruce worked so hard for, measured the muscles he knew so well, and licked his way slowly from the hollow of his navel to the peak of his nipple. Bruce’s body shuddered every inch of the way up.

He loved the taste of him, he could spend hours just tasting him, mapping his body with his tongue. He loved it when Bruce did the same to him. It was a great way to unwind after a hard mission. He loved the reactions he could cause inside his beautiful lover. He sucked and licked the peaked little nipple. His lover groaned, “You’re so damned good.”

Clark smiled, changed sides, and spoke around the nub of flesh, “You always tell me that.”

The fingers in his hair tightened, and Bruce asked panting, “Don’t you feel guilty, I’m not your husband?”

He glanced up, he smiled, “My Bruce isn’t out there somewhere, he’s not someone else, I don’t feel guilty because you’re laying right here.”

Before Bruce could come up with a denial, Clark made the return trip down Bruce’s torso, until he got to the edge of his loincloth. He kissed the skin of his belly, as he untied the cloth. As he pulled it away, Bruce’s erection fell against his saliva damp belly. There was a clanging sound in the muted lounge, which Clark recognised as the sound of Bruce’s metal goblet hitting the marble-like floor, as it slipped from Bruce’s hand. 

Bruce reached for and pulled his own chiton up over his head, naked now except for his leather sandals. Clark ran his hands over his body again and he caught Bruce’s eyes. He held that gaze, as he leaned in and he licked the length of him from balls to tip. Bruce’s cock flexed against his lips, and Bruce cried softly, “Oh god, Superman.”

He murmured, his lips enclosing the heavy flesh, “Oh yes Batman.”

Bruce growled softly, and then both his hands caught Clark’s head. Clark smiled wickedly, then he sucked the head of his husband’s cock into his mouth, and he groaned as his lust addled lover forced his cock deeper into his mouth. They weren’t averse to getting a little rough sometimes, especially when they came here to Anteros II. Clark took up the challenge, and he bopped his head, filling and stretching his lips around the girth of cock that belonged to the man that he wanted so badly to satisfy. 

His lover growled with need and desire, and he cradled Clark’s head as he guided him down again and down again. Clark leaned back and held his gaze as he sucked his cock hungrily. He leered with just his eyes, they said, ‘You don’t have to show me, I know how you like it.’

Seeing the heat in Bruce’s eyes made Clark pushed his hand under his own chiton and into his loincloth to release and stroke his own cock. 

He saw Bruce’s eyes widened as he realised Clark’s own needfulness. His hands left his head and cupped his cheeks instead; he said roughly, “Show me.”

Clark let Bruce’s flesh slip from his lips. He stood up, licking his lips of the taste of him and he pulled his own chiton up over his head, and off. He untied his loincloth and let it fall. Then he was naked except for his leather sandals. He smiled at the oddness of it, thought about taking them off but Bruce was focused on something else and demanded softly, “Come here.”

He stepped forward. Bruce’s eyes devoured his body with the eagerness that Clark recognised all too well. He placed his knees on the cushions on either side of Bruce’s thighs. He leaned his body towards him. Bruce grasped him and dragged his chest towards Bruce’s mouth. Clark groaned, “Shit.” as Bruce latched hungrily onto his nipple. 

He cupped Bruce’s head with one hand, and he watched him focus on it. Bruce’s hands reached down and roughly caressed Clark’s body. The arousal zinged down his body from that mouth that was around his nipple down to his cock. With his other hand, Clark reached down, and grasped it in his fist and squeezed it hard. Bruce’s mouth left his chest and moved down his body, skating over his sternum and his abdomen, and the lust vibrated through him from the points of contact. He hissed softly as his lover’s lips closed over the head of his cock. 

His fingers tightened in his dark hair. He rolled his hips, and rocked himself through his partner’s lips, over his tongue. He gasped in pleasure as Bruce devoured him. He moaned as he felt Bruce’s fingers playing behind his balls. He slowed his rocking, and Bruce glanced up and met his gaze, Clark bended his knees and he relaxed and he felt his fingertip enter him. The vibration of Bruce’s groan reverberated around his hard length, and again as Bruce thrust his fingertip deeper into him.

Clark panted as he gazed down. He cupped Bruce’s face, and raised it to his. He offered, “Do you want me?”

Flushed and aroused, Bruce nodded in silent awe.

He revealed, “I’ve got something, wait here.”

He climbed off his lap, and naked he went to his bedroom and retrieved the small jar that he had acquired for Algo this morning. He returned to find Bruce waiting as he’d left him. Clark approached him, “I got…”

Bruce reached out and turned him, murmuring, “Let me see.”

Clark might’ve felt awkward with anyone else, but there had never been any awkwardness with Bruce. He held still as Bruce admired his ass. He felt him caress his cheeks before spreading them to look at him. He gasped as he felt his lover’s mouth on him. He felt the murmured, “So nice.” before he told him huskily, “Back up.”

He groaned a sigh, and then he reversed a step, and bending his knee he placed one of his legs crooked onto the couch cushions.

He heard and felt a deep rumble as Bruce pressed his tongue against him again. As he arched onto it, he groaned, “I’ve got this Anterian lube, it’s really good you don’t need much.”

He felt the soft growl against the curve of one of his cheeks, before he was dragged backwards. He landed sprawled over Bruce, his back to his chest and he felt his erection against his ass. He laughed at the sudden move. He groaned as Bruce’s strong hands guided Clark’s thighs over the outside Bruce’s own. Then Bruce’s hands stroked his body, his chest, over the bruise on his side, before reaching for the jar in his hand. Quickly Bruce opened it, and scooped some up, and then Clark felt the glop of it at his entrance. He laughed groaningly, “That’s too much.”

He choked on the breath as Bruce’s fucking hard cock quickly gained entrance to his ass. With his body straining, he pressed back against his lover’s chest, he hissed softly, “Shit.” 

Then Bruce cried hoarsely, “Yes, you’re so damned tight.”

Then holding him back against his chest, he began thrusting up into him almost desperately. It was harder, rougher than he was used to; he knew it was because the love wasn’t there, but saying that it was so damned good anyway. He watched his own cock bounced lewdly with every thrust, as he felt every divine inch of that cock in his ass, felt his balls slap up against him. He gasped and panted, and his body shook with the pleasurable torment. He felt Bruce’s hot breath on his neck, as he exerted himself to fuck him thoroughly. 

He was gasping on every breath, and Bruce was echoing him. 

“Oh Bruce.” he cried over and over.

His lover thrust harder and faster, relentless, without any intention of slowing or stopping. Clark didn’t want him to stop. He was overcome, body, and mind. He couldn’t think, only feel.

So consumed, he only noticed the manservants as they were already leaving with the empty plates, and the empty decanter of wine. He groaned in mortification, “Shit Bruce.”

In response to his groan, suddenly they were moving and Clark found himself on his side, with Bruce curved around his back, still thrusting, still taking him to the hilt. Clark moaned and pressed his sweat soaked face to the couch cushions, he moaned again as Bruce grasped and lifted his leg, positioning him. He cried hoarsely, “Bruce, Bruce you’re trying to kill me aren’t you.”

Bruce growled softly next to his ear, “You can take it baby. Take it.” 

He cried out as Bruce hit his prostate, and then again, and he reached down between his legs and fisted his leaking cock desperately. 

Bruce half panted half grunted in his ear, “You like that huh?”

Clark mewled and he reached back and grasped Bruce’s hip, “Oh yes.” 

His lover thrust harder, and Clark’s orgasm flowed through him. He cried out, “Yes.”

Then Bruce was gone from inside him. Then feeling lightheaded, he was pressed onto his back, and he found Bruce’s mouth eagerly over his cock, collecting his essence as it came out in spurts. Clark’s body shuddered as Bruce’s lips covered the glans, and licked it clean. Clark gasped as spasms wracked his body again. He laughed in delighted pleasure. 

He watched until Bruce glanced up and looked down his body at him, and he pulled off slowly. 

Clark smiled satiated at him, as he watched him swallow and then his eyes found Bruce’s erect cock. He met Bruce’s gaze, but before he could speak, Bruce was flipping him over on his stomach, and then he was covering his back, his sweat slicked chest to Clark’s sweaty back. Clark groaned into the couch cushions as Bruce thrust his hard throbbing cock back into his used entrance.

He moaned loudly as Bruce started slowly but deeply this time. He asked hissing softly, “No plans to come quickly then?”

“I’m going to fuck you as long as I can keep it up.” His lover told him.

Clark laughed desperately, “Oh fuck.”

As he continued to thrust enticingly slowly, Bruce asked, “You don’t think it’s a good idea, huh?”

He laughed, and grasped the edge of the cushion and hummed encouragingly, “Let’s see how long you can last for me, baby.” 

~*~

Clark awoke the next morning; muzzily he glanced around the sunlit lounge. He realised they were still on the couch, after falling asleep almost straight away after coming together so hard. He turned his head and saw his lover still asleep. He grumbled to himself. He remembered last night. He knew what happened to them when they drank Anterian wine, every single time. Damn he was trying to get Bruce on his side, but he didn’t think alcohol addled sex was the best way to go about it. 

God Bruce had been so horny last night. He remembered their old pact about trying to last the night. He smirked smugly. Bruce definitely tried to achieve it last night. He knew when he tried to move, he’d probably be wincing with the effort. Lying there he realised they had gotten themselves into a state; they were dried sweat and come covered. He didn’t envy the manservants trying to clean the couch. 

He snorted out a breath. He glanced at the sleeping figure again. If this were his life, he’d wake him up, tease him about last night, and then admit how fantastic it had been. Last night, Bruce had wanted him to convince him of their better life together, but he doesn’t know how he’s going to react when he wakes up. He definitely didn’t want an argument. He didn’t want to make a huge deal out of last night either. Even if Bruce wanted to believe him, it didn’t mean that the sex last night was anything more than a lustful night with his teammate to Bruce.

Clark decided to go get cleaned up, and then go and see if Algo needed any help today.

Not that he was trying to avoid Bruce.

 

To be continued


	6. Chapter 6

TITLE: Captivating Elpis 6  
PAIRING: Clark/Bruce   
AUTHOR: Whiterose  
RATING: Anyone  
WORD COUNT: 2,904  
DISCLAIMER: I only own the story.  
SUMMARY: Clark continues to be on friendly terms with his beloved ally.

~*~

Wet haired, he passed by the guardsmen as he left the villa, and said good morning to Jodan. Then he entered the vegetable garden. Algo saw him arrive, and he smiled, “Good morning Clark, you come to help me again today.”

He nodded, “Morning Algo, yes, if you’ll have me.”

His friend’s smile widened, “Shall I trust you with transferring seedlings into the soil bed today?”

“Better than weeding.” he acknowledged.

Algo showed him where to begin, and then he spent the next little while doing that. 

As he worked, his hair dried in the sunshine, and his mind returned to last night. It was strange to think he’d had two first times with his husband. Last night was so different from their real first time, when they’d made love; Bruce had been tentative, and giving. Last night, was definitely not what he’d call lovemaking, but it had been exceptionally good. He’d always been turned on when Bruce got the chance to manhandle him, and he’d definitely manhandled him last night, he’d fucked him through the couch. There was no denying how hard Clark made Bruce, love or no love.

A small satisfied smile touched his lips unconsciously. Then Algo asked wryly, “You know something I do not?”

Clark glanced at his friend and then bashfully away again.

Algo nodded, “I see it is about Bruce. Did your husband remember you?”

He shook his head in the negative, “No…” he glanced back at his friend, and said smugly, “Let’s just say he got to know me a little better last night.”

His Anterian friend whistled softly, “You work fast on Earth heh?”

Clark chuckled, “Ha you told me you wouldn’t even speak to Jodan to say hello until after he followed you home that evening and you jumped him.”

Algo’s eyes widened, “That is a private matter how…?” then understanding came to his eyes, “You are going to say, I told you this thing before the evil man changed things.” He looked thoughtful, “We must have been true friends then.”

He smiled with fondness, “Yes we were.”

They returned to work, with Clark feeling in an even better mood, knowing Algo believed his story. He wished he could say the same for Bruce but he understood how Batman’s mind worked, he didn’t work on blind faith but on someone’s actions and intent.

He filled in the loose soil around the young seedling, and patted it gently. He heard footfalls on the stone step, and he glanced up towards the archway and met the face of the man that he had left sleeping earlier. They held each other’s gazes. He watched as those familiar eyes softened their focus, and then crinkled softly, before he murmured, “Good morning.”

Clark’s heart fluttered, and he smiled softly in return, “Hi.”

He saw Bruce glance at Algo, before his eyes returned to Clark, knowing Algo didn’t understand English. He sighed breezily, “Last night was…” Bruce broke off and laughed softly giddily, “It was incredible.”

He noticed out the corner of his eyes how Algo stopped work and observed them. He couldn’t help the adoration plainly on his face, “Yes it was.”

Bruce looked bashful being the focus of his undeniable love. He glanced out the archway, and then he just wandered off. Clark frowned but not in disappointment merely bafflement. He glanced at Algo who only shook his head, more perplexed than Clark was. Clark smirked and shook his own head before returning to his planting. 

However, a few minutes later everything was made clear, as Bruce returned with four steaming cups of Anterian coffee. He put two on the step, and then brought the other two over to Algo and Clark. He handed Algo his who thanked him and then Clark his, saying. “The manservants said you didn’t stop for breakfast.”

Clark bowed his head, and Bruce guessed, “You didn’t want a morning after talk?”

He shrugged, “I wasn’t sure, not until I saw that smile on your face.”

Bruce raised his brow wryly, “I know we’d been drinking, but there’s no fogginess or memory lapse, everything is clear.”

“It’s true there’s no hangover with Anterian wine.” He concurred knowingly.

“Another thing we’ve done together before?” Bruce queried.

Clark blushed and admitted, “Many times, but not quite like that.”

Bruce licked his lips and then turned away. He went over to the stone step and sat down. When he picked up his cup, Clark asked, “Why’s there four?”

His partner snorted as he motioned with his head, just as Jodan appeared in the archway. He grinned widely and then took his seat beside Bruce and picked up his coffee. He motioned with the cup, and said the Anterian word for the beverage.

Clark chuckled seeing that Bruce’s lessons were continuing today. 

Then Bruce frowned, and he pointed at the cup, “This…” he pointed inside the cup, “Or this?”

Jodan rolled his eyes at his own mistake and drank some, to show he meant the coffee. Bruce nodded with understanding.

Algo swallowed a mouthful of coffee and nagged gently, “Are you not supposed to be on duty Jodan?”

The guardsman shrugged, “The auntie I am supposed to guard is not here now, Bruce and Clark are the ones who live here now, and I can guard them sitting right here.”

Algo caught Clark’s gaze, and he saw the long sufferance on Algo’s face, “He never stays on duty as he should.”

Clark laughed, “Husbands huh?”

From across the garden, Jodan declared, “Aha…” then he pointed at Clark, and told Bruce the Anterian for husband.

Bruce frowned, and wondered, “Clark…?”

Not understanding, Jodan groaned, “No, I know his name is Clark.” he pointed at Bruce and then at him again, and said ‘husband’ again. 

Bruce showed him an open hands gesture, “I don’t know what you mean.”

Jodan’s handsome face creased, it was the first stumbling block they had come to in their lessons, Bruce picking everything else up easily. Both Jodan and Bruce turned to Clark for help. Clark winced not wanting to explain. Finally, Jodan grumbled and stood up. He went over to Algo, and raised his wrist and showed Bruce their matching marks of commitment, the silver thread that was tattooed on their wrists. Again, he said the word, “Husband.”

Bruce’s keen eyes darted from Algo and Jodan to Clark. 

Jodan exclaimed, “Watch.” And then he kissed Algo full on the mouth. Bruce and Clark both heard Algo groan before he returned the kiss passionately, wrapping his arms around his husband tightly. 

Clark let loose a laugh of wonder, in all the years that the two couples had been friends, and while Bruce and Clark had shown their affection freely, kissing in front of them to their friend’s bemusement, it was the first time he’d actually seen them show any sexual proclivity to each other. As he saw their passion, their hands grasping at each other, he now understood how private and intense their love for each other really was. 

He smiled softly heart warmed by it.

Bruce was still looking on bewildered, at the other couple and Clark’s hilarity.

Finally, Jodan and Algo dragged themselves away from each other panting. They appeared ashamed by their lack of decorum. Now agitated Jodan pointed at Clark again, and then pointed at Bruce. Then he said, “Husband.” again.

Bruce bit his lip, and then nodded in understanding, he stated, half asking Clark, “Lovers… they know that we’re lovers too.”

Clark swallowed hard, and fudged the truth, “Yes, lovers, partners… same thing here.”

His partner… his lover, pointed at Clark and said to Jodan, “My husband.”

Jodan nodded, “Yes Bruce that is right.”

Then Bruce patted the stone step, and said, “Come back Jodan and tell me more.” 

Jodan glanced at Algo bashfully, “Sorry for making a show of us.”

With his face flushed, Algo nodded.

Clark spoke soothingly then, “Don’t be embarrassed, you have seen me and Bruce the same way. It was nice to see your love.”

Algo and Jodan didn’t look convinced but nodded along. Jodan returned to Bruce and continued his lesson and Clark and Algo carried on planting the seedlings.

The rest of the day was easy going, only breaking for a nice lunch, which their friends shared with them.

~*~

After their friends had gone home for the evening, Bruce and Clark returned inside. Clark got cleaned up quickly, and then they had their dinner. There wasn’t much conversation. Clark didn’t want to make their connection only about telling him about a life he didn’t know. He didn’t want Bruce to feel as if he was being used just so Clark could get his life back either. Although of course that was his endgame, not just for himself but also for Bruce, and Alfred, and Mom, and for the whole planet Earth, because if he could get his better life back so did the people of the world. 

So they talked about today, with Algo and Jodan, and learning Anterian. He told him why he laughed when their friends had kissed. As they talked about other things, they watched each other, their minds on the night before.

As the night drew in, Bruce excused himself and disappeared somewhere. When he didn’t return, with disappointment Clark went to bed alone. 

~*~

He lay in bed under the sheets and fur lined blankets. Trying to sleep without much success, his mind preoccupied. Had he somehow blown it? Not that he had a plan, only a hope for the survival of his real life. 

He heard something in the darkness, and turned onto his back to look. He watched the night covered figure enter his bedroom. Through the darkness, he met his gaze. “You left me.” Bruce said lowly.

Clark answered honestly, “I didn’t know what to do.”

He watched the figure come closer to the bed, walk beside it. As he got closer he saw he was only wearing a loincloth, Clark held his gaze all the way, until he stopped and gazed down at him. Clark watched and waited for something, a signal to what was on Bruce’s mind. Then Bruce said the longed for words, “I believe you Clark.”

His chest heaved as his heart exploded with love and jubilation.

He moved quickly tossing the bedclothes away and then he had him in his arms, holding him close, searching for, and finding his mouth, his lips in the darkness. Bruce’s hands grasped at him too, and his mouth opened for his. The kiss was fierce and passionate with the excitement, their first kiss in this wrong world. Clark threaded his fingers through Bruce’s hair and held on. He could feel the dampness of it and realised Bruce had been for a bath.

He laughed at his own worries, and he laughed because of the hope flowing through his whole being.

He pulled back, he grabbed Bruce’s hand, and he led him the two steps and then the crawl on the bed and under the covers together. They settled in there, and Bruce leaned in and he kissed him. He opened his mouth and let him consume him until the need and the passion calmed. 

He caressed his lover’s hair. He spoke quietly, “I know everything is going to be alright now.”

Bruce nodded, his breath still unsteady, “We have to stop Darkseid and reset the universe. Tomorrow we’ll start planning, or maybe the day after.”

Clark nodded in agreement, and then he said, “I need to tell you something, there isn’t… there can’t be anything hidden between us now.”

Bruce’s eyes narrowed, and he asked, “What is it?” 

“Yesterday, when I first told you about our lives, I told you the whole truth…” he took a fortifying breath, “I’m your husband Bruce.”

Bruce let out a gusty little sound, and asked, “We’re really married?”

“Yes, today…” he smiled, “…today that’s what Jodan was saying. That word meant more than lovers, it meant partners, husband… person you’ve tied your fate to.”

“Tied your fate?” Bruce wondered.

“Yes you saw the tattoos on Algo and Jodan’s wrists; it’s their symbol of their commitment to each other. It’s a ceremony where you tie your fate, literally the rest of your life to someone else’s.”

Bruce swallowed hard and asked, “And you told them that that is what we’ve done?”

Clark revealed, “That is what we did do Bruce. Here on Anteros II, we tied our fates together and when we got back to Earth we got married at Smallville courthouse, just to make it legal.”

“God, I still believe you Clark but it seems so crazy…”

He nodded, “I know, you feel like you want to lock me up in Arkham.” He said with a smile.

Bruce laughed suddenly, “You really know me don’t you?”

Clark smiled, and he reached out and he took Bruce’s left wrist, and explained, “You’re supposed to have a silver thread encircling this wrist right here, and I am supposed to have one too. After all this time, I feel bare without it.”

He saw affection in his husband’s eyes as he reached for Clark’s left wrist, and brought it to his lips and kissed the skin there tenderly. “You make me want it to be there too.”

He smiled contentedly and glanced down at his wrist. He thought he saw a line there. He blinked. It must be the shadows in the dark bedroom he thought. He tried to look closer, but he couldn’t make it out. He shook his head, and he got out of bed, and reached for a lantern. Bruce turned over and followed his movements, “What’s the matter?” he asked.

The lantern lit up the bedroom in warm light. Then he inspected his wrist. The line was faint, like a pencil line rubbed out by a cheap eraser smudged but not gone, it was still there. He looked up and met Bruce’s inquisitive gaze. He held it up, “Can you see that?”

Bruce squinted at it and then nodded slowly. 

Clark grabbed Bruce’s wrist and looked it over. He saw that there was nothing on his. Clark’s stomach turned over and he stumbled and sat down on the bed. He rubbed his forehead to relieve some tension, “Oh shit.”

“Clark you’re worrying me now, what’s going on?” Bruce said plaintively.

He reached out and caressed his cheek, “Oh my beautiful Bruce, I don’t know if I’ve just realised that I’m in worse trouble than I thought or if I’m better off.” He showed him the line on his wrist again, “This… if my theory was right, and Darkseid had altered the timeline, I wouldn’t have this. I didn’t, it wasn’t there, but now I do, and that means… damn it, that means it’s not you or anyone else whose memories have been lost, it’s me. I’m the one…” 

Bruce rubbed his shoulder comforting, “Tell me how I can help Sweetheart.”

He snorted, and laughed hollowly, as those words confirmed his suspicions. He remembers when he woke up chained down he thought someone had got him, and when Batman had shown up, he thought his teammate was under mind control. 

He’d been right the first time. “It is mind control but it’s me they’ve got.” He said.

“What are you saying Clark?”

He caressed the youthful face that he realised his own mind had conjured up. “I’m saying all this… you… I think it’s all in my mind, that’s why I remember.” He said sadly, “If that’s true I don’t know how I’m going to break free.”

Bruce gazed at him with confusion marring his face.

Clark stated, “We really did beat Darkseid last time, but…” he remembered the story of the fall of Earth. “I think he’s back.”

“You might be wrong.”

Clark leaned in, and kissed his cheek tenderly and said with regret, “I don’t think I am. I’ve got to find a way to get home.”

Bruce leaned in and kissed his cheek, and murmured in his ear, “Forget about all that, forget about everything, and stay with me.”

~B~

Batman’s armour covered heart ached as he observed the tears that fell from Superman’s eyes, and ran down his temple and into his black hair, he heard him whisper desolately, “I can’t B. I’ve got to break free.”

The Phantom Zone fugitive who had promoted the perfect fantasy said snidely, “I’ve tried despair and fear with him before, it didn’t work then either. His will is too strong. Giving him adversity only makes him fight harder to overcome it."

“Shut up!” Desaad yelled.

Granny Goodness sneered, “You gave him misery and he twisted it around on you and made it hope, and you still couldn’t keep him under.”

Another of the villains present argued, “You are all wrong, perfect lives, and sexual passion are nothing, the strongest of all is the darkest desires found deep in the subconscious.” 

Then he opened a container, “This will seek out his darkest desires.” This other placed something organic on Superman’s face and he was again subdued.

Batman growled, he’d had enough of this shit and he went into action…

 

The end of Captivating Elpis but the story continues in the next part of the Anteros series.


End file.
